The 12 Days of Christmas: Sewing Like Mad

My first guest in the series is my friend Mie from Sewing Like Mad, a Dane who lives in America with her British husband and two gorgeous girls. Everything she makes looks so professional and, as a trained seamstress, her attention to detail is amazing. She recently got to the final week in the last season of ‘Project Run and Play‘ with some fantastic outfits including Queen of Plaid and her signature style outfit. She has a very long list of sewing tutorials as well – I love this skirt and I’m very interested in tryout this tutorial for a set in sleeve with a French seam out! Take it away Mie.

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Oh, wow December is here. I literally can’t believe it! Our December last year was a bit nuts. We were renovating our house and every time I think back, all I see is white dust from our walls being sanded, landing on all surfaces which I (kind of) tried to clean up every evening…..for then the whole show to start all over the next morning. Argh, we could not really do any baking or decorating and this year I have decided to step up my Christmas game to compensate for last year.

And even though that meant putting my blogging a little bit on hold for the month I could not say no to this series.

1) It was Suz and Laura who was inviting and they might be new friends but sometimes you just know they are good ones, right!

2) I saw the participants list and holy reindeer is that a bunch of talented ladies.

3) It gave me the kick in the behind I needed to actually sew Christmas dresses to the girls.

4) ….I don’t think I needed more reasons….so I said YES.

In Denmark, where I am from, we for sure dress up for Christmas but we don’t have the tradition like they have here in US, where I live now, to buy or make special Christmas (or birthday or Easter or first day of school for that matter) dresses.

But last year I saw this amazing dress in Target (Harajuku Mini) and I could not help myself. And I must say the joy and happiness those sequin dresses caused did convince me that it was worth the trouble to sew some this year. 

AND it for sure goes well with the step-it-up-theme I am planning for this Christmas, right!

Nothing says party and celebration more than sequins, right! I think so! I bought this beautiful blue and black sequin on black netting at Michael Levine. The same with the star cotton called Constellations by Lizzy House for Andover Fabrics Inc. The orange is a simple cotton voile.

Not long ago I was lucky to be invited to the Pattern Anthology Tour and I remixed Blank Slate Pattern’s beautiful Amaryllis dress. You can see the post HERE. And that dress is smart in many ways (like fully reversible fx) but also not having any zippers….and that was exactly what I was looking for. I did not feel like fiddling with a zipper in sequin fabric, nope definitely not feeling that!

I decided to reuse some of my remix features – like the front button placket, the more closed up neckline, the non-pointy shoulders and a bit of high/low effect on the skirt. I put big silver snaps in the placket and I love the edge it gives to the dress.

I made the inner skirt plus the inside of the tie band from orange cotton voile. It is the good old story of not having enough of the original star fabric so I had to improvise.

The front and back bodice plus the back full skirt has black viscose lining on the inside. The front orange voile skirt is folded double (the fold is the hem) so that it is not see through.

And in case you wonder why some of the photos only have my oldest on them…..

……..this happened!

Yeah, what can I say…..KIDS!!!!

I am actually surprised I got any even remotely useful photos with both of them because the cry fest started within 5 minutes of the shot. 

But I got dancing…..

….and even hugging.

Christmas is the time of miracles, right!

Thanks you SO much for having me Laura (and Suz on the other side of the world!)

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What beautiful dresses Mie, the sequin fabric goes perfectly with the constellations fabric and I love the pop of orange. It looks like you had a lot of fun decorating for the pictures too. The shot of your daughters hugging at the end is adorable. Thank you so much for taking part.

Now click on the button below to head over to Sewpony and see what her guest. Rachel from nest full of eggs, has made today.

You can see all the other amazing guests we have lined up for the rest of the series below.

Don’t forget that we welcome anyone who wants to sew along. Suz and I will be featuring some sew along outfits on our blogs on the 19th of December so keep adding them to our ‘The 12 Days of Christmas’ Flickr group. See you tomorrow for some more amazing Christmas outfits.

On the second day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.